Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving Reflect on Mavericks' Hot Start, Eye 'Special' Christmas Day Showdown with Timberwolves

Led by Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks are eager to face the Portland Trail Blazers as part of the NBA's Christmas Day slate.

Photo via Dallas Mavericks

DALLAS — Luka Dončić returned from injury to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a commanding 132-108 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. Dončić, sidelined for two games with a left heel contusion, finished with 27 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. His return helped secure Dallas' 14th win in 17 games—the NBA’s best record during that stretch.

“Well, I think mine was okay. Nothing special,” Dončić said with a grin. “The important thing is that we got the win. I think everybody was involved, and that’s how we got to play. Portland has a good team with players who can really score, so we had to be locked in.”

Though Dončić started the game missing his first three shots, he quickly settled in, finding his touch on drives, creating great shots for teammates, and connecting from the free-throw line. His ability to control the tempo and dictate the offense lifted the Mavericks to a comfortable lead by halftime and they never looked back.

Balancing Act

The collective success continued with Dončić as it has throughout the season. In the first half against the Blazers, Dončić (12), P.J. Washington (12), Kyrie Irving (11), Daniel Gafford (11), and Klay Thompson (10) all scored double figures. It was the first time since Dec. 2, 2009, that Dallas has had five players with 10+ points in the first half. The collective success is something Dončić appreciates about this roster.

“I think we have a lot of depth. Everybody that enters can really play,” Dončić said. “That’s a really good thing. Injuries are going to happen. It’s a long season, but everybody plays hard.”

Irving, averaging 23.4 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.6 rebounds this season, echoed Dončić’s sentiment about the Mavericks’ depth, emphasizing the importance of each rotation player on the team—not just the superstars.

“I mean, everybody eats—that’s the MO, man. That’s the mentality,” Irving said. “We’re a great team. Obviously, I’m scoring big numbers, or Luka’s scoring big numbers as well, but when we get five-plus guys in double figures, it’s a beautiful basketball game, especially by NBA standards. Everybody has a role on the team. You’ve got the guys that shoot the most shots, but when you get eight guys in double figures, that doesn’t happen often. That’s a moment to celebrate as a team because we were swinging the ball.”

Irving recalled his struggling shooting night in a victory against the LA Clippers without Dončić, but the Mavericks still had eight double-figure scorers. This occurred even with Irving shooting the ball 25 times.

“I didn’t shoot particularly well, even though I was throwing rocks in the ocean—I shot 6-for-25,” Irving explained. “But if you look at that stat, I got 25 shots up and eight guys still scored in double figures. I mean, that’s a heck of a game. Obviously, we don’t want to play a lot of games without Luka, but if we have to, then we’ve got to adjust to who’s out there and maximize each other’s confidence. It felt good.”

Gafford emerged as a force off the bench, finishing with 23 points on perfect 7-for-7 shooting from the field. He joined Jarrett Allen as one of the few players this season to score 20+ points on 100-percent shooting. Gafford is shooting 73.8% from the floor this season, leading the league by a 2.3% margin. He’s been highly efficient while averaging 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 20.4 minutes per game.

“Honestly, just having confidence in what I work on day to day, “ Gafford said. “The coaches help me build my skill set the way I want to. I just want to be as efficient as I possibly can for this team. They put a lot of trust in me when the ball is in my hands inside the paint, so I just try to put it in the rim.”

Christmas Day Spotlight